When all you need is a double dose of the good stuff

Popular Wine and Food Pairings

Wine has been a popular beverage for centuries and gets more and more attention as the years go on. Hundreds and hundreds of different wines have been invented and mass produced. Most of these wines are great on their own, but they also have specific food pairings that make them even better. The basic food pairings for the different kinds of wine can be seen on the graphic below. For this article, however, we are going to be discussing a few specific popular blends of wine and its complementary food.

Chardonnay

Chardonnay goes perfectly with fatty fish and other kinds of seafood. The most popular pairing is that of a smoked salmon, cooked in its own juices as well as other seasonings. Another popular pairing for chardonnay are shrimp, served in a lush buttery sauce. The thought of sipping on a chardonnay right after that butter filled shrimp is mouth-watering!

Champagne

Champagne is a sparkling wine with a sweet, but dry taste to it. This dryness makes it perfect for any pairing that is particularly salty. The most popular pairing is that of crispy udon noodles served with nori salt. You can even serve it alongside finger-food such as potato chips or salted crackers. Delicious!

Cabernet Sauvignon

The Cabernet Sauvignon has a very refreshing texture about it. It blends perfectly with steak and lamb chops as it restores your palate after each bite, causing you to get that blissful first bite every time! What could be more majestic than that?

Sauvignon Blanc

Invented by the Kiwis down in islands of New Zealand, the Sauvignon Blanc brings out the flavour in any tangy food with its zippy texture. The most popular pairing for the Sav is a Scallop dish served with grapefruit and onion salad. You can’t go wrong with this one!

Dry Rose

The Rose is one of the driest popular wines, hence its name. Don’t be fooled by its dryness though; the rose has a strong taste to it and goes well with any cheeses, as well as acidic fruits. Popular pairings include a gorgeous raspberry cheesecake or an Italian cheese sandwich. Put me in a room with a raspberry cheesecake served with a dry rose and you won’t see me for a long time!

Malbec

Malbec is a beautiful red wine with an incredible kick to it. Malbec wine is so potent that it pairs well with heavily spiced foods. The most popular pairing for Malbec is sweet and spicy crumbed chicken drumsticks, coated with Asian barbeque sauce. If you’re a fan of spicy food then you need to give this a try!

Gruner Veltliner

Our last wine to look at for today is the clover scented Gruner Veltliner. This wine is quite popular in Spanish cultures and is probably one of the most ‘nature-friendly’ wines there is. This is because the Gruner Veltliner pairs best with fresh foods, like uncooked vegetables. It is also good with steamed vegetables, but the flavour isn’t quite the same. Its most popular pairing is with a lovely zucchini linguine with herbs. If you feel as though you like any of the above wines, do give them a try!